Yet, another case of Muslim royalty keeping slaves in the US. Robert Spencer explains,

"Muhammad owned slaves, and the Qur'an takes the existence of slavery
for granted, even as it enjoins the freeing of slaves under certain
circumstances, such as the breaking of an oath: “Allah will not call you
to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to
account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent
persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or
clothe them; or give a slave his freedom” (5:89).

While the freeing of a few slaves here and there is encouraged,
however, the institution itself is never questioned. Slavery was taken
for granted throughout Islamic history, as it was, of course, in the
West up until relatively recent times. Yet the impetus to end slavery
moved from Christendom into Islam, not the other way around. Because the
Qur'anic word cannot be questioned, and the book does not contain the
Biblical principles that led to the abolition of slavery in the West,
there has never been a Muslim abolitionist movement. Slavery ended in
Islamic lands under pressure from the West."

Saudi princess Meshael Alayban is accused of forcing a Kenyan woman to work as a domestic servant in Irvine. She allegedly made the woman work 16 hours a day, seven days a week, for $220 a month.

A woman whom Orange County
authorities described as a Saudi royal princess was charged Wednesday
with human trafficking for allegedly forcing a Kenyan woman to work as a
domestic servant.

Meshael Alayban, 42, was taken into custody early
Wednesday by police at her Irvine home in a gated community. Orange
County prosecutors allege that Alayban forced the woman to work 16 hours
a day, seven days a week, for only $220 a month. Authorities say she
was unable to flee because Alayban kept the woman's passport and
documents.

Authorities said the woman left the home on Tuesday. She boarded a bus and eventually contacted police.

"The law of our nation and California does not tolerate people who
deprive or violate the liberty of another and obtain forced labor or
services," Rackauckas said. "If any person is being enslaved, he or she
should contact law enforcement."

In addition to the Kenyan woman, police said officers found four
other workers being held under similar circumstances at Alayban's home.
Detectives continue to investigate, but no charges have yet been filed
in those cases.

Prosecutors requested that Alayban be held without bail because she
was a flight risk. But a judge ordered she be held in lieu of $5
million. He also ordered her to surrender her passport, not to travel
outside Orange County and to wear a monitor if released.

Orange County prosecutors identified Alayban as one of the wives of
Saudi Prince Abdulrahman bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz al Saud. She could not
be reached for comment, but in a statement to the Los Angeles Times,
her attorney, Paul S. Meyer, said there was no physical abuse, no
physical restraint and that the complaints were about hours worked and
wages paid.

"We intend to fully investigate this matter, and expect that the truth will resolve it," he said.

The servant, whose identity was not released by authorities, began
working for the family in Saudi Arabia to help cover her young
daughter's medical care, officials said. The woman was contacted through
an agency in Kenya to work for Alayban's family in Saudi Arabia in
March 2012. She was meant to work for two years and be paid $1,600 a
month. She was told she'd work eight hours a day, five days a week and
that her pay would rise after three months, authorities said.

Irvine police said that when the woman arrived in Saudi Arabia,
Alayban took her passport. She accompanied Alayban and her family when
they came to Irvine in May. Police said the servant came with four other
women from the Philippines working under similar contracts.

She told detectives she was required to work excessive hours and paid
only a fraction of the agreed-upon salary. When the woman complained
about the working conditions and asked for her passport back so she
could leave, Alayban refused to give it to her, police said.

The servant told authorities she was working for various Alayban
family members living in four luxury apartments in a development off
Jamboree Road, police said. She claimed she was not allowed to leave the
complex without a member of the family present.

"We are gratified to have been able to help this victim find her freedom," Irvine Police Chief David L. Maggard Jr. said.

The servant finally left the complex Tuesday, carrying a suitcase and a U.S. State Department pamphlet on human trafficking, officials said. The pamphlet had been given to her at a U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, where she was issued a travel visa, Maggard said.

A woman on the bus noticed she was upset and began talking to her. That woman eventually helped her contact police.

When police arrived at Alayban's home, they found the four other
women. Police said they told detectives their travel documents had also
been taken by Alayban.

Detectives were trying to retrieve the documents from a safe deposit box.

Comments

Yet, another case of Muslim royalty keeping slaves in the US. Robert Spencer explains,

"Muhammad owned slaves, and the Qur'an takes the existence of slavery
for granted, even as it enjoins the freeing of slaves under certain
circumstances, such as the breaking of an oath: “Allah will not call you
to account for what is futile in your oaths, but He will call you to
account for your deliberate oaths: for expiation, feed ten indigent
persons, on a scale of the average for the food of your families; or
clothe them; or give a slave his freedom” (5:89).

While the freeing of a few slaves here and there is encouraged,
however, the institution itself is never questioned. Slavery was taken
for granted throughout Islamic history, as it was, of course, in the
West up until relatively recent times. Yet the impetus to end slavery
moved from Christendom into Islam, not the other way around. Because the
Qur'anic word cannot be questioned, and the book does not contain the
Biblical principles that led to the abolition of slavery in the West,
there has never been a Muslim abolitionist movement. Slavery ended in
Islamic lands under pressure from the West."